Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

In real-life standards, making $490,000 is a pretty decent salary. In the world of pro football, it’s more like a “meh” financial reward, almost the definition of entry-level pay. For an outgoing wide receiver who was virtually unknown before this season and then exploded with an 82-catch, 1,536-yard, nine-touchdown performance and became known as the guy who salsa dances after he scores, it’s an outrage.

Well, not really an outrage, but after his glorious season that ended with a touchdown catch in the Giants Super Bowl XLVI win against the Patriots, Victor Cruz -- who made $450,000 in 2011 -- would like a substantial raise for 2012.

“I think I was paid, you know, relative to where I came in this year and, you know, I came in as a free agent so that’s the salary I was on, so I don’t feel like I was underpaid,” Cruz told the men at Pro Football Talk. “I mean, I feel like after my performance this year, you know, I feel like I deserve to be paid more money at this point. But that’s something I’ll let my agents and those people take care of and I’ll just go out there and play the game.”

I don’t think many people would disagree that Cruz deserves more money after his 2011 performance, but remember, he signed a three-year $1.2 million contract after he went unselected in the 2010 draft. He missed all of last season with an injury, so it's not like Cruz has put together multiple seasons of consistency.

Also, you have to remember the players who had breakout seasons and demanded more money from their teams and never got it. Players like Sidney Rice, Matt Forte and DeSean Jackson. Just because Cruz had one wonderful season, that doesn’t mean the Giants have to give him a bigger raise than they’d already planned. And considering New York has a powerful receiving corps, is Cruz holding out in training camp really going to scare the Giants into tearing up his old contract and giving him a new one? I’d guess no.

But in other Cruz news, it’s also been reported that he signed with the powerful IMG agency after the Super Bowl. That won’t increase his ability to barter for a new deal with the Giants, because IMG was hired to work on his marketing and endorsement campaigns (I see either a marketing campaign for Tostitos salsa or for Fred Astaire Dance Studios, though considering Cruz turned down “Dancing with the Stars,” he might like to go less mainstream).

However, adding IMG means Cruz most likely will make more money this year. And if that money doesn’t come from the Giants, Cruz might have to be OK with that.

In even more Cruz news, he weighed in on the laughable “Rob Gronkowski was dancing with his shirt off after the Patriots lost” controversy. Cruz, it seems, disagrees with the spirit of what Gronkowski was doing.

“I would have been in my room, watching TV, soaking in the moment,” Cruz told PFT. “It’s not every day you make it to a Super Bowl, man. . . . Some guys play 15, 16 years in this league and don’t make it the Super Bowl. Or even the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl. . . . I probably wouldn’t have been partying too much after that.”

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

Sorry, but Victor Cruz does not deserve a raise, YET. What if this season was just a one hit wonder. Players like Steve Smith who currently now plays for the Eagles had a similar, if not better season than Cruz because he had around 30 more catches than Cruz. Now look what happened, once Steve Smith left the Giants for the Eagles he had a horrible season. I don't know if the quarterback play had something to do with it becuase Eli is a better passer than Michael Vick. I would hate to see Cruz get paid big bucks only to be average the rest of his career. If Cruz has a few more seasons similar to what he did this year, then by all means pay him.

Since: Aug 22, 2011

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:21 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

I like when people say that players should play out their full contract and stop being greety yet an owner can cut them if they don't play to how their expected to. Nothing wrong with demanding a raise if your performing much better than expected. The guy was a beast this year.

Since: Aug 22, 2007

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:21 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

pretty simple chris, when a player doesn't perform the owner drops him. So often fans forget that money in the NFL isn't guaranteed. If he put up 1500 yards this season, he sure should ask for a raise because a player is always a bad year away from the team canning the leftovers. Why do you think the players are all so interested in signing bonuses and up front money....it's the only thing that's guaranteed. So now tell me this. If you out performed everyone at your job at where you work, would you continue to go about your business and not demand a raise when you SEVERELY outperformed them? Stop being a hypocrit and realize that these players need to look out for #1 because in the end, their long term health is jeopordized among other things.

Since: Feb 16, 2007

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:20 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

ChrisV, you are asking the players to honor their current contracts calling it a 1 way street. Do you realize that contracts are not gauranteed in the NFL like they are in NBA and MLB? If a player is amazing for 3 years, and signs a new $80 mil contract for 5 years, but underperforms year 1, he can keep his signing bonus, but the team can force him into a salary reduction or cut him. Owners almost NEVER honor a contract until it's end, so it's definitely a 2 way street.

Since: May 11, 2007

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:19 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

Lets see, he was on IR his first year in the league, so he needs to prove he`s not one of those injury prone players. And after only ONE good year, he wants more MONEY? He DID have some curcial drops during the year.... Receivers are way to easy to replace to give a WR with one good year big dollars. I`d tell him fulfill your contract as is, and see how well you`re playing, then we`ll talk about more money.

Since: Jan 5, 2010

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:19 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

are you even reading the stories, genius?

Since: Jan 5, 2010

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:18 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

Not one person in the world should disagree that Victor Cruz should be paid more money.. this is a textbook "bring the Giants down a notch" tactic-- he's not demanding more money, you morons.

Since: Dec 7, 2007

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:14 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

LOL once again an athlete that performs want's more money. What happens when he doesn't perform, Owner gets his money back? Seams like a one way street. It is as simple as play your contract till the end and then resign for the bigger contract. If that doesn't work out move to another team. When are athletes going to live up to the legally binding peace of paper they signed in the first place.

Since: Jan 5, 2010

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:14 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

This is an awful, awful, excuse for a story. Journalism at it's sneakiest. Get a life dude.

Since: Aug 15, 2007

Posted on: February 9, 2012 7:02 pm

Victor Cruz: 'I deserve to be paid more money'

He had ONE good year. Currently signed to three years. I say wait till after the second year then decide if he is worth the risk.